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Metabolism and Myths

We’ve come a long way!  We now actually know more about the metabolism, and how to increase metabolic speed, than most people; and we’re therefore in a position to put that information to good use.

We’ve learned that the metabolism is a process and not an actual body part. 

It harmonizes two essential bodily functions: converting food into cells/tissues, and breaking cells down to provide energy.  We learned that the former process is known as anabolism, and the latter is catabolism. 

Indeed, it’s this latter process that influences our ability to lose weight, and to keep it from coming back!

Yet going beyond the biological basics, we also learned of 3 integrated aspects of speeding up metabolism and losing weight. 

These aspects were categorized in terms of: exercise, lifestyle, and diet.  And within each of these 3 categories were a total of 11 important, practical, and quite easy ways to boost metabolism.

Now, indeed, it’s the time for action; for as they say, wisdom is the result of experience, not study!  Obviously, of course, it was essential for us to understand this subject and how it relates to boosting metabolism.  So in that light, study is invaluable.  But now you’re equipped with the knowledge that you need. 

The next step – boosting your metabolism – is all up to you.   Good luck, have fun, and enjoy your better, leaner healthier life!

Common Metabolism-Boosting Myths

The SparkDiet resource center  has consulted fitness experts to find the 4 most prevalent myths concerning metabolism and metabolism-boosting. 

Since this book has been about reality and not myths, we didn’t cover any of them in the actual book.  Yet, considering how common these myths are, it can indeed be useful for you to know them; and to know that they’re myths. 

That way, if you come across them in a magazine, at a fitness club, or just from the well-intentioned but misguided advice of a friend, you can confidently say (or at least just think): sorry, but that’s a myth; I’m not going to fall for that one!

Myth #1: Diet Pills

The general consensus on diet pills are contained in two powerful words: BUYER BEWARE. 

The problem here is that many makers of diet pills offer claims that simply aren’t realistic; and if you read the fine-print of most of these advertisements, you’ll see that they’re really too good to be true.  Little notes like the claims made in this advertisement are not typical should be enough of a wake-up call to realize that there’s more to the story.

In some cases, diet pills can help boost metabolism temporarily.  This, however, can be risky and generally shouldn’t be done without a doctor’s say-so.  Unfortunately, people can become somewhat addicted to diet pills, and this can lead to disaster.

And before we go onto myth #2, remember that some diet pills are water loss pills.  That is, they are diuretics that promote water loss, usually through excess urination.  The jury on water-loss diet pills is somewhat less open-minded than diet pills in general: THEY DON’T WORK!

Seriously: water loss diet pills are built on the premise that you’ll lose weight through water.  And, yes, that’s true: if you urinate 15 times a day, you’re physically going to weigh less. 

But this is not actual weight loss!  This is merely unhealthy temporary weight loss, and it will come roaring back the minute that water stores are replenished through diet. 

Or, even harder to comprehend, if a person taking these water pills fails to restore their body’s fluid needs, they can actually suffer dehydration; which can, and has, led to coma and death.

Myth #2: Drop Caloric Intake

As we discussed earlier in this book (but it’s so important that it deserves an encore here at the end), trying to lose weight by drastically cutting down calories doesn’t work; in fact, it’s unhealthy.

The thing to remember is that the body’s ability to lose weight is not controlled by calories.  Calories are the input.  The real control mechanism is that famous concept that you’ve become very familiar with: metabolism. 

Calories are merely units of energy.  It’s how your body deals with that energy that determines whether weight is gained or lost. 

So with that being said, cutting down your caloric intake to, say, 1000 calories a day isn’t necessarily going to help you lose weight; because it doesn’t necessarily change your metabolism. 

Indeed, as you know, if you slow down your caloric intake, your body – which is always trying to help you in the best way that it knows how – will slow down its metabolism. 

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